The Read And Weep Bundle: Anonymous, Perfectly Hopeless, Run by Holly Hood Page B

on his face. “I took a guess. I can get a different size if they don’t.”
    She sighed. She was starting to regret coming as she looked around at everyone.
    Hart grabbed her by the ankle tugging her shoe off in one quick jerk. He caught her foot in between his legs not giving her a chance to object. The next thing she knew his hands had a hold of her foot.
    “I know how to put my shoes on.” She watched him lace her shoe up as if she was a toddler incapable of doing so herself.
    “I can see it in your eyes,” Hart explained grabbing her other foot. “You’re ready to run right out of here. And I will be damned if we don’t have a good time.”
    “I’ve never been that great at bowling,” she said. “I can’t remember the last time I even went.”
    Hart nodded. “That’s great. Makes this next part even better.”
    Elle raised an eyebrow. “What does that mean?” She was afraid to hear his answer.
    “A bet. Every strike I get you do whatever I tell you to do.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Oh yeah right, are you nuts?”
    “It won’t be anything too crazy,” he said. “And same goes for you. If you get a strike I will do anything you want me to.”
    What were they in high school? She shrugged. He took it as a yes standing up ready to get the game going.
    Elle watched Hart approach the lane. He gripped the ball taking off at a slow pace. The ball hit the floor and seconds later the crash of the pins sent him into a victory dance as he made his way back to her.
    She shook her head at him as he took the spot next to her. “It’s your turn. And since I got a strike I want you to throw the ball with your eyes closed.”
    She scoffed but stood up. “Really? That’s the request?” She grabbed a pretty pink ball and headed for the pins. It wasn’t like he could see if her eyes were shut or not from where she stood.
    Suddenly he was behind her. She struggled to hold onto her ball as Hart’s hand went over her eyes. He wasn’t joking, he was going to have it his way no matter what she wanted.
    “I probably didn’t have a chance anyways,” she said letting him lead her toward the lane.
    “Shut up and bowl,” he said. “Nobody likes a sore loser.” He teased her.
    The ball dropped with a hard thud.
    “Oh no, I guess it paid off. Remind me not to be so cocky next time,” Hart said. He laughed at himself for looking like a fool now.
    “I think that was my first strike ever,” Elle said with a smile. She stared at the score board.
    Hart stood beside her. “So what will it be?” He hoped she was having a good time. So far he hadn’t seen much of a smile or anything on her face.
    “I don’t know.” She looked up at him trying to think of something to make him as uncomfortable as she felt at the moment. “I want to know the real reason you failed at rehab.”
    Hart’s eyes darted away from her.
    Elle smiled. “Remember this game was your idea.”
    He picked up his bowling ball. “I just never imagined this was your sense of fun.”
    “I figure going for the jugular might make me feel less uncomfortable,” she said, not afraid to admit it.
    Hart threw the ball gaining another strike. He returned to the seat next to Elle without a victory dance like the time before.
    “If it will make you more comfortable then I’ll tell you.” He sat back. “I guess I came back for many reasons.”
    Elle was glued to his every move. He had never opened up before. Not even in rehab.
    “Boredom, bad relationships, guilt, you name it.” He shrugged. “Too much partying, too much confidence. There was always something worth taking that trip.”
    Elle crossed her arms. “That’s not much of an answer.”
    Hart gave her a dirty look. “Those are my reasons and you’re saying they aren’t good enough?”
    “Why did you come back the last time?” She stared at him watching how uncomfortable in his own skin he seemed to be all of a sudden.
    He sighed. “Too much partying. I was bored and had nothing